Ramadan fasting is fard al-ayn (an individual obligation) for every Muslim who is sane and has reached the age of puberty (bulugh). Those with a religiously valid excuse such as illness, travel, menstruation, or postnatal bleeding, as well as those too elderly to fast, are exempted from this obligation under certain conditions.

Eating, drinking, or engaging in sexual intercourse intentionally breaks the fast; this requires both a make-up (qada) fast and a 60-day continuous fast as expiation (kaffarah). In contrast, eating or drinking while forgetting that one is fasting does not break the fast; this is considered a blessing from Allah to His fasting servant.

The sahur meal can be eaten until the time of imsak, which is the dawn of the second fajr. When the adhan begins at the imsak time specified in calendars, eating and drinking must stop immediately, and the fast should begin with the intention.

Those traveling a distance of at least 90 km, which qualifies them as travelers (musafir) in religion, or those who fear that fasting will worsen their illness, may postpone their fasts to be made up later. Patients with no hope of recovery and the elderly who are incapable of fasting must pay a fidya (compensation) equal to feeding one needy person for each day they cannot fast.

Performing the Tarawih prayer is a sunnah al-mu’akkadah (emphasized sunnah) specific to Ramadan nights. This prayer, which began to be performed in congregation and as 20 rak’ahs in the 14th year of the Hijra by the order of Umar (r.a.), has been passed down to the present day in this manner.